Image forming device

ABSTRACT

A message is displayed on a display unit to indicate that copy reserve is ready even during copying operation. Even during copying, a document placed on a scanning unit ( 14 ) can be scanned after the number of copies and the scaling are set from a numerical key pad ( 16   a ) and a start key ( 16   d ) is pressed. The document is scanned in a scanning unit ( 14 ), the image data of which is stored in an image memory ( 18 ). As a result, even during copying operation, it is possible to reserve next copy.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority under 35 USC 119 of JapanesePatent Application No. 11-375112 filed on Dec. 28, 1999 in JPO, theentire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to an image forming device such asa copy machine or a facsimile machine with a copying function, and moreparticularly to an image forming device that is capable of scanningother documents of which copies are to be made while the machine isunder copying operation.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Image forming devices in the modern times are provided with animage memory so that scanned image of a document is stored in the imagememory and later recorded on recording sheets by a recording unit(printer). As a result, it is possible to make a plurality of copiesfrom each document even though the document including a plurality ofpages is scanned only once.

[0006] However, no conventional device has been able to scan a documentplaced on a scanning section for the scanned image to be stored in animage memory while another scanned image is being recorded on recordingsheets. In other words, while a device is copying, it has not been ableto scan other documents for copying. In short, copy reservation has notbeen made possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an imageforming device that enables a copy reservation.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided an image forming device including a scanning means for scanningfirst image, a memory means for storing the scanned first image, arecording means for recording the stored first image, and a controlmeans for causing the scanning means to scan another image of which copyis to be made, and causing the memory means to store the scanned anotherimage, while the recording means is recording the stored first image.

[0009] Copy conditions may be determined and said another image may bescanned while the recording means is recording the stored first image.The image forming device may further include a display means fordisplaying that the scanning of said another image is ready while therecording means is recording the first image. The display means maydisplay contents of setting for copy of said another image. A user ofthe device can know that copy for said another image is set when theuser sees such display. The display means may display waiting time untilthe completion of recording of the first image. With such display, theuser can do an extra work until the completion of the recording of thefirst image. The contents of setting for copy may include the number ofpages of a document to be scanned, the number of copies to be made, andthe size of the recording sheet. The control means may not cause thescanning means to scan said another image if a remaining capacity of thememory means is less than a predetermined volume. Accordingly, thememory means will not overflow. The display means may display that thescanning of said another image is not possible if the remaining capacityof the memory means is less than the predetermined volume. The user willnot perform an operation of copy of said another image if the user seessuch display. The display means may display how many pages worth ofimage is scanned by the scanning means. The user can know whether allpages of the document are scanned by seeing such display.

[0010] In the following detailed description describing the embodimentsof the present invention, the image forming device corresponds to acopy-facsimile machine 1 (hereinafter called copy-facsimile machine),the scanning means corresponds to a scanning unit 14, the memory meanscorresponds to an image memory 18, the control means corresponds to MPU11, ROM 12 and RAM 13, the recording means corresponds to the recordingunit 15, and the display means corresponds to a display unit 17.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a block diagram to show the structure of acopy-facsimile machine.

[0012]FIG. 2 is a flow chart to show the operation of the copy-facsimilemachine shown in FIG. 1 in a copy mode.

[0013]FIG. 3A is an illustrative diagram to show the display unitemployed in another embodiment.

[0014]FIG. 3B illustrates a display unit employed in still anotherembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An image forming device embodied in a facsimile machine with acopying function will be described in detail with accompanying drawingsas an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] As in FIG. 1, a copy-facsimile machine 1 includes MPU11, ROM 12,RAM 13, a scanning unit 14, a recording unit 15, an operating unit(control panel) 16, a display unit 17, an image memory 18, CODEC 19, amodem 20 and NCU 21, and these hardware elements 11 to 21 areinterconnected through a bus 22. The mode 20 and NCU 21 are directlyconnected to each other.

[0017] The MPU 11 controls each of the sections that compose thecopy-facsimile machine 1. The ROM 12 stores programs used forcontrolling the copy-facsimile machine 1. The RAM 13 temporarily storesinformation related to the copy-facsimile machine 1.

[0018] The scanning unit 14 scans image data on a document and outputsblack and white binary image data. The recording unit 15 includes anelectro-photographic printer, and records image data received fromremote sources as well as image data scanned by the scanning unit 14from the document in the copying operation.

[0019] The operation unit 16 includes a series of operation keys such asa numeric key pad 16 a (including the asterisk(*) and sharp(#) keys) forinputting telephone and facsimile numbers; a quick-dial key 16 b forregistering abbreviated numbers or sending messages using theabbreviated numbers; a one-touch key 16 c that designates pre-installedFAX numbers with one push of the key; a start key 16 d for starting thescanning; and a transmission and copy key 16 e to switch between faxtransmission and copying.

[0020] The display made up of an LCD or the like displays the state ofoperation and other information of the copy-facsimile machine 1.

[0021] The image memory 18 temporarily stores image data such as imagedata received from remote sources and image data scanned by the scanningunit 14. The CODEC 19 encodes the image data scanned by the scanningunit 14 in order to transmit it in an appropriate encoding method, suchas MH, MR or MMR format. The CODEC 19 also decodes image data receivedfrom remote sources.

[0022] The modem 20 modulates and demodulates data that is sent orreceived according to V.17, V.27ter, V.29 or the like, based on ITU-T.30recommendation in facsimile transmission procedures. The NCU 21 controlsthe establishment and breakage of connection with a telephone line L,and sends and receives dialing signals corresponding to receivers' faxnumbers.

[0023] The operation of the copy-facsimile machine 1 in the copying modewill now be described according to the flow chart of FIG. 2. Theoperation is executed under the control of the MPU 11 based on theprograms stored in the ROM 12.

[0024] When a document is placed on the scanning unit 14, the number ofcopies and the scaling (magnification) are set through the numerical keypad 16 a, and the start key 16 a is pressed by an operator, then amessage indicating the machine is copying is shown on the display 17 atstep S1 of the FIG. 2.

[0025] At step S2, the document is scanned by the scanning unit 14, andthe resulting image data is encoded in a format such as MMR by the CODEC19 to be stored temporarily in the image memory 18.

[0026] At step S3, the image data stored in the image memory 18 isread-out and decoded by the CODEC 19, and the recording on recordingsheets is started in the recording unit 15. At step S4, whether thememory has more than 5% left of the capacity in the image memory 18 isdetermined. The reason why the left memory should be at least 5% is thata typical amount of data for the A3 size, which is the maximum size forscanning, requires that amount of memory. When the left memory is 5% ormore in the image memory 18, the procedure will go on to the step S5. Onthe other hand, when the left memory is less than 5%, the machine shouldwait until the memory is restored to have 5% or more left.

[0027] At step S5, a message indicating that copy reserve is ready isdisplayed on the display 17.

[0028] At step S6, if the user puts a next document on the scanning unit14, sets the necessary number of copied sheets and the scaling, andpresses the start key 16 d, the process goes back to step S1. Then,scanning and image data storage in the image memory 18 is executed; inother words, this is the way copy is reserved.

[0029] At step S7, it is judged whether all the recording (including thereserved copy) is finished or not. When all the recording is finished,the process will be finished. When all the recording is not finished,the procedure will go back to step S3 and execute the recording of imagedata in the recording unit 15.

[0030] Following is the description of the function and effects of theembodiment described above.

[0031] (1) Even while the machine is under the process of copying, thedisplay 17 shows that copy reserve is ready. As a result, it is possibleto put other documents on the scanning unit 14, set the number ofnecessary copied sheets and the scaling and the like using the numericalkey pad 16 a, and press the start key 16 d even during the copyingoperation. Then, the document is scanned in the scanning unit 14, andthe image data is stored in the image memory 18. In other words, evenduring the copying operation, copy reservation is available. It is notnecessary to wait for the present copying operation to come to an end.In addition, it is possible to increase the utility rate for the copyingfunction of the copy-facsimile machine 1.

[0032] (2) Copy reservation can be made only when there is 5% or morememory left, so that there is no overflow of the image memory 18,eliminating aborted copy reserve. In other words, an operator will notperform the copy reservation operation when the machine is not ready forcopy reservation.

[0033] The embodiment described above may be modified as illustrated inFIG. 3A. When a plurality of copy reservations are made, the display 17may indicate the settings (the number of sheets of a scanned document,the number of necessary copies, the size of the recording sheet, and thescaling) in the order of the reservations.

[0034] Another modification is illustrated in FIG. 3B. The display 17may be designed to also display the expected time of completion based onthe items set in the copy reserve. In this way, extra work can be donewhile waiting for the copy to be finished until the expected time.

[0035] The display unit 17 may display that the scanned image data sizeis larger than the left memory capacity of the image memory 18 if such acase occurs. Further, the stored image data for the reserved copying maybe deleted from the image memory 18.

[0036] If the copy-facsimile machine 1 has an energy saving key (orfunction) to reduce electricity consumption during the waiting time, thedisplay unit 17 may display that copy reserve is ready during thewaiting time before the completion of restoration processes from theenergy saving mode to an ordinary mode, and at the same time thescanning unit 14 may scan the document for the image memory 18 to storethe scanned image.

[0037] Furthermore, during the warm-up period after the power is turnedon, the display unit 17 may display that the copy reserve is ready andat the same time the scanner 14 may read in the image and store it inthe image memory 18.

[0038] The above-described embodiments can be applied to a copy machine.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image forming device comprising: a scanningunit to scan a first image; an image memory to store the scanned firstimage; a recording unit to record the stored first image; and a controlunit that causes the scanning unit to scan another image of which copyis to be made, and causes the image memory to store the scanned anotherimage, while the recording unit is recording the stored first image. 2.The image forming device as in claim 1, wherein copy conditions of theanother image are determined and the another image is scanned while therecording unit is recording the stored first image.
 3. The image formingdevice as in claim 1 further including a display unit to display thatthe scanning of the another image is ready while the recording unit isrecording the stored first image.
 4. The image forming device as inclaim 2 further including a display unit to display that the scanning ofthe another image is ready while the recording unit is recording thestored first image.
 5. The image forming device as in claim 4, whereinthe display unit displays contents of setting for copy of the anotherimage.
 6. The image forming device as in claim 5, wherein the displayunit displays waiting time until the completion of recording of thefirst image.
 7. The image forming device as in claim 5, wherein thecontents of setting for copy include the number of pages of a documentto be scanned, the number of copies to be made, and the size of therecording sheet.
 8. The image forming device as in claim 1, wherein thecontrol unit does not cause the scanning unit to scan the another imageif a remaining capacity of the image memory is less than a predeterminedvolume.
 9. The image forming device as in claim 3, wherein the displayunit displays that the scanning of the another image is not possible ifthe remaining capacity of the image memory is less than a predeterminedvolume.
 10. The image forming device as in claim 4, wherein the displayunit displays that the scanning of the another image is not possible ifthe remaining capacity of the image memory is less than a predeterminedvolume.
 11. The image forming device as in claim 3, wherein the displayunit displays how many pages worth of image is scanned by the scanningunit.
 12. A method comprising the steps of: A) scanning a first image;B) storing the first image in a memory; and C) printing the first imagewhile scanning another image and storing the another image in thememory.
 13. The method as in claim 12, wherein copy conditions of theanother image are determined and the another image is scanned while thefirst image is being printed.
 14. The method as in claim 13 furtherincluding the step of D) displaying that the scanning of the anotherimage is ready while the first image is being printed.
 15. The method asin claim 14 further including the step of E) displaying contents ofsetting for copy of the another image.
 16. The method as in claim 15further including the step of F) displaying waiting time until thecompletion of printing of the first image.
 17. The method as in claim16, wherein the contents of setting for copy include the number of pagesof a document to be scanned, the number of copies to be made, and thesize of the recording sheet.
 18. The method as in claim 17, wherein theanother image is not scanned if a remaining capacity of the memory isless than a predetermined volume.
 19. The method as in claim 18 furtherincluding the step of G) displaying that the scanning of the anotherimage is not possible if the remaining capacity of the image memory isless than the predetermined volume.
 20. The method as in claim 19further including the step of H) displaying how many pages worth ofimage is scanned.